Enlightenment
by LadyNightRunner
Summary: In which Tseng repeats himself, Reno is a pest, the temple calls to someone, Rufus takes a tour, and there are boats. Birthday-fic for a friend.


A birthday present for Hazumi-Yuki over on DA: A Vincent/Tseng piece in which Tseng is seasick. Happy birthday, sweetheart!

* * *

_I am a stone. Smooth. Flawless. Unmoving. Unaffected by the world that moves around me. I am above it. Beyond it. At one with myself and the universe. I am a stone. _

"Are we there yet?"

"Be quiet, Reno."

"Hey, I'm asking an honest question."

"Be quiet."

"I've never been out to this island, yo. How'm I supposed to know how long it takes to get out to it?"

"I have never visited the ruins either, Reno."

"Oh."

_I am a stone. Smooth. Flawless. Unmoving. Unaffected by the world that moves around me. I am above-_

"So how are you not puking? We're on a boat."

"Hush."

"You take some kind of meds? I thought they didn't work for you."

"Leave me _alone_, Reno."

"'cuz I remember the last time you tried medicating before a boat ride. You still spent at least half the trip with a barf bag."

"I am repeating a mantra. Go away."

_I am a stone. Smooth. Flawless. Unmoving. Unaffected by the world that moves around me. I am above it. Beyond it. At one with myself and the universe. I am a stone. Smooth. Flawless. Unmoving. Unaffected by the-_

"What kind of mantra?"

"The kind that is keeping my stomach in line."

"I didn't know you could do that."

"Anything is possible with proper concentration."

"How's it go?"

"How does what go?"

"The mantra."

"You wouldn't be interested."

"Awwww, why not?"

"Because there are no breasts, women, or bottles of alcohol in it."

"Tell me anyway?"

"No."

_I am a stone. Smooth. Flawless. Unm-_

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll be quiet if you do."

"No."

_I am a stone. Smooth. Flawless. Unmoving. Unaffected by the world that moves around me. I am above it. Beyond it. At one with myself and the universe. I am a s-_

"Why didn't Vincent come on this trip?"

"Because his presence was requested elsewhere."

"Really?"

"And he has no way to keep from becoming ill on a boat."

"So the other reason is just an excuse."

"More like a convenient reason for him to stay behind."

"If you say so."

_I am a stone. Smooth. Flawless. Unmoving. Unaffected by the world that moves around me. I am above it. Beyond it. At one with my-_

"So when are you gonna tell me how the mantra goes?"

"Reno, I will shoot you if you do not shut up, sit down, and keep away from me until we disembark."

"Fine, fine. Spoilsport."

_I am a stone…_

The ruins of the Temple at Wuxi were internationally recognized as some of the best-preserved non-Cetra ruins in the world, though access to them was restricted. That Rufus ShinRa had been invited to tour them was quite the event, and one that he intended to take full advantage of. With Reno and Tseng in tow, he followed their tour guide eagerly, paying close attention to everything the guide said.

Tseng was quiet as they passed under the first of seven remaining arches on the path to the temple. As a child, he had heard about the ruins, and they had interested him in a passing manner, but he hadn't been very big on his religion at the time and an old temple wasn't high on his list of places he wanted to visit. Now, though…it had been eleven years since he had so much as set foot inside a temple of Leviathan. Without even meaning to he drifted away from Rufus and the guide.

Reno tugged gently on Rufus' sleeve.

"What?"

"We just lost Tseng."

Rufus turned to see Tseng walking slowly down a broken stone path. The guide looked as well.

"Your guard has been here before?" he asked.

"He said he hadn't. Why?"

"Those paths lead to the meditation gardens. They were a secret way in the temple's glory days, and we do not take visitors down them or speak of them at all. He should not know what they are."

"He does things like that," Rufus murmured. "Tseng has always known how to find his way."

The guide looked rather embarrassed. "Forgive me, Shinra-sama, but…is he the one who left us for your service? The eldest son of the Yusikii?"

"Yes. You knew him?"

"I was too young and of too low a class to have ever known him as a child. But everyone in the capital knew when he left. It was one thing for peasants and merchants to lose faith in our country and run to safety, but for the son of such a prominent family to go willingly into the arms of our enemy… it was unheard of." The guide studied Tseng's back. "I had always thought he would be disfigured, or mad, or…something."

"Why on earth would you think that?"

"He was made out to be a monster."

Rufus chuckled softly. "He is. But only when someone threatens him."

"It is none of my business, but…does he still bow to our gods?"

"Only to the Leviathan. When I was a child he told me that Leviathan came first and that he was all that mattered. I used to love the stories he told me."

"It is not unheard of for a warrior to worship only the Leviathan. He is the oldest, the strongest, and the greatest guardian." The guide smiled. "It is no wonder he knows to follow the paths."

"Hmmm?"

"All rivers know how to find the ocean."

"Uh…should I go get him, boss?"

Rufus shook his head. "Let him be, Reno. We'll find him when we leave."

There was no need to go looking for Tseng. When they entered the hall of devotion, they found him kneeling on the floor with his eyes closed, a string of prayer beads in his hands, murmuring softly to himself before a massive, somewhat weathered statue of the Leviathan. In the warm, sun-dappled silence, he looked as though he could have been there for ten minutes or ten centuries, frozen on the silvery stone.

Rufus quietly backed out of the room and around a corner. "I think…we should leave him for awhile," he murmured.

"Perhaps we should return to the house. I can make tea and you can wait comfortably."

"That might be best. He'll know where to find us."

"But-"

"Come along, Reno."

Tseng drifted into the guide's house and visitor center nearly an hour later, looking quite a big calmer than he normally would have been after discovering that his employer was nowhere to be found while he was supposed to be guarding him.

"There you are," Rufus murmured. He had curled into a wide wicker chair with a cup of tea and a small plate of artfully prepared tidbits to pick at. Reno sat on the floor at his feet, nursing his own cup of tea and looking bored.

"I wasn't expecting you to leave," Tseng muttered.

"You needed your privacy."

"Wha-"

The guide reappeared in the doorway. "Leviathan's call must have been strong. You never gave any indication that you had noticed our presence in the hall of devotion."

Tseng blinked. "You were there?"

"We were." The guide smiled. "It has been a long time since I have seen anyone so lost in prayer."

"I…" A tiny smile flickered over Tseng's lips. "I've only had the shrine in my home to pray to in years. I didn't realize how much I had missed it until now."

The guide nodded, then turned to bow to Rufus. "It was a pleasure being your guide, Rufus-sama."

"Thank you for the tour. And the tea; it was excellent."

"It was my pleasure."

Twenty minutes later, they were back on the boat. Tseng took his seat and prepared to repeat his mantra again, only to find that the two hours he had spent in the temple kept coming to mind. While it had been a wonderfully meditative time, it wasn't distracting enough to keep him from thinking about where he was, and that was a problem.

Before he could alert Reno to the issue, Rufus turned back to face him. He was several shades paler than he should have been, and there was a distinctly unhealthy sheen to his skin.

"I don't feel well," he said softly.

Tseng resisted the urge to curse. "What's wrong?"

"My stomach. I…I think I'm going to be sick."

"Reno, take Rufus up to the deck."

"What? Why?"

"Just do it. And hurry."

Reno got up and herded Rufus towards the steps leading up to the deck. Tseng closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on something else. Anything else. Just not-

Rufus threw up on the steps. Tseng's stomach squirmed uncomfortably. He gritted his teeth and tried to concentrate.

_I am a stone. Flawless. Unmoving. About to vomit._

Tseng managed to get out of his seat, up the stairs without stepping in the mess on them, across the deck, and to the railing before his stomach tried to crawl up his throat. Hanging over the railing, he retched painfully for several miserable minutes before sliding back and leaning against the cool metal, panting.

"I thought that mantra of yours was supposed to keep you from puking," Reno said dryly. He had Rufus sitting on a bench against the cabin wall and was rubbing his back.

"I'm having trouble with it," Tseng managed. "Are you feeling better, sir?"

"No. I feel awful. I was _fine_ half an hour ago."

"He's running a fever, too," Reno murmured.

"What was that you were eating when I caught up with you?"

"Dunno."

Tseng sighed. "There was probably something in it that isn't agreeing with you."

"Would it work that fast?" Reno asked.

"It can. Food poisoning can take effect in less than half an hour." Tseng swallowed hard. "And there can be little to no warning."

"Great. So I get to-" Reno grimaced as Tseng leaped up and vomited over the rail again. "-deal with both of you puking up a lung all the way back to the mainland, huh?"

In response, Rufus got shakily to his feet, shuffled over to the railing, and joined Tseng. Muttering under his breath, Reno followed to make sure neither man accidentally went overboard.

By the time they docked, Rufus was too weak to stand, Reno had stripped down to his boxers rather than wear his soiled suit a moment longer, and Tseng was lying on the deck, trying desperately to get his stomach under control.

Vincent, Rude, and Elena were waiting on the dock. Elena was the only one who visibly reacted when Reno appeared at the gangplank in just boxers, socks, and shoes, his EMR dangling around his wrist.

"Hey, Rude, Rufus ain't getting off this boat on his own. He's got food poisoning or some shit like that. Too sick to stay on his feet. Would you mind?"

"Reno, what happened to your _clothes_?" Elena squeaked.

"Rufus happened to my clothes. And then Tseng. And then Rufus again."

"And where _is_ Tseng, exactly?" Vincent asked.

"On the floor over here, looking like death. Should be getting up in a minute."

Rude started up the gangplank to fetch Rufus, then paused and turned back to Elena, rummaging in his pockets for the car keys. "Here," he said, tossing them to her. "Bring the car around."

Tseng crawled to the railing and used it to get to his feet, leaning on it heavily while he collected himself. He waited for Rude to carry Rufus off the boat, then made for the gangplank himself, moving slowly and rather gingerly. If he could just make it to solid ground and rest awhile, he'd be okay. It was just a few steps.

A few steps too many, apparently; Tseng was doubled over and heaving before he'd gotten halfway to safety.

Vincent was up the gangplank and beside him in the time it took Tseng to stagger another step and gag again. Gentle hands slid over his back and pulled his ponytail out of the way.

"Just a little further," Vincent coaxed. He kept Tseng moving until they were off the gangplank, off the dock, and back on proper ground again. The moment he took his hands away, Tseng slumped against the nearest wall and tried again to get himself in order.

"A-are you ready to go, sir?" Elena ventured.

"I think I need a minute." An ominously fluid belch worked its way up Tseng's throat. He groaned and leaned forward, just in case.

Vincent sighed and stroked his back. "Don't worry, Vincent, I have it under control this time," he muttered, imitating Tseng's voice. "I think I've finally found a way to remain functional on a boat."

"It _did_ work," Tseng said mulishly, straightening up and leaning into Vincent with a tiny sigh. "Until Rufus got sick. I just couldn't…_hk_…couldn't take that as…_hk_… well. _Hk_." He groaned. "_Wonderful. _Now I have…_hk_… hiccups."

"It's cute," Vincent chuckled. "Come on. Let's go."

A doctor gave Rufus a cursory examination, said he had stomach flu, and gave him strict orders to stay in bed unless he absolutely _had_ to get up. He also received a thorough scolding for trying to talk his way out of the orders, and was finally left to sleep curled around a soft flannel pillow filled with lavender and rice that had been heated until it was a magical bundle of relaxation and rest.

In the next room, Tseng lay naked on the bed, letting Vincent massage painful knots out of his back. He had eaten part of an order of takeout and drunk the tea Vincent had pushed at him, and had finally begun to relax. The doctor had said he didn't have Rufus' flu, and perhaps he ought to steer clear of watercraft from now on, hmm?

"Vincent?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you mind trading shifts with me tomorrow?"

"Why?"

"I…I want to go to the temple in the morning."

Vincent chuckled. "The trip was that inspiring?"

"I'm afraid so. I know you hate mornings, but-"

"I don't mind, at least while we're here."

Tseng smiled. "Thank you."

Vincent leaned down and pressed a kiss between Tseng's shoulder blades, making him shiver faintly. "Of course."

"Mmm…you know what?" Tseng rolled over carefully and smiled up at Vincent. "We have this room to ourselves until Reno gets off shift. We should be taking advantage of that."

"Are you sure you're feeling up to it?" Vincent asked, though his hands were already moving to unbutton his shirt. "I wouldn't want to wear you out."

Tseng growled softly and hooked his fingers into Vincent's belt loops, yanking him down and rocking against him. "You'll never wear _me_ out."

"If you say so." He leaned in and kissed Tseng hungrily. "Let's give you a sin to confess."


End file.
